by Jessica Carreras
Lucy Hough has been spending her summer working as Between The Lines' editorial intern. The 19-year-old Northern Michigan University student and Northville native is running her school newspaper, The North Wind, for the 2010-2011 school year, and hopes to pursue a career that keeps her LGBT activism alive.
1) What sparked your interest in LGBT rights?
Much of my life, I've been in areas where LGBT people aren't totally present, being from Northville and then going to school in the Upper Peninsula. So, with the help of the Internet, I started learning more about why, as it stands, I can't get married and why my professor who's gay had to fight to save health benefits for her partner, and that led me to wanting to do what I can to see change.
2) How are you using your talents as a writer to create change?
Writing has always been such an important part of my life, so being able to work for an LGBT publication or write a blog that educates people on why they should pay attention to equal rights feels like it's right up my alley. Through writing about what's going on, in terms of change or lack thereof, I'm able to educate those who are reading about how these events and issues affect the LGBT people and me personally.
If we educate those around us, we're able to more effectively see change.
3) What LGBT rights issue is most important to you?
That's hard because I know that I'm not representative of the whole LGBT community. There are so many issues that people are fighting for and believe in whole-heartedly that one issue really can't take precedence over another, especially when we have to think about fighting for equality strategically.
Personally, I do hope to get married one day and have my relationship recognized under federal law, but I understand we have a long way to go before that's something that can be aggressively demanded.
4) What is your favorite thing about being involved in LGBT events?
Within the LGBT community there are so many different people, with different interests, different ideas. All of these people are present at events I've been attending, working for their voice to be heard or just hanging out with a community they feel especially comfortable in.
The best part is that even though it is so diverse, everyone has been so nice and welcoming, no matter where I'm coming from. Everyone just kind of 'gets it.' I feel empowered and lucky to be a part of a community that is truly based on the principles of love and camaraderie.
5) Where do you hope to end up after graduation?
I'm still trying to figure that out. I might follow journalism or become a school librarian (which has always been a dream), but regardless, I hope that in whatever I'm doing, I'm involved with some kind of LGBT activism. I want to find innovative and effective ways to educate and influence people about LGBT rights with my writing.
Read more of Lucy's work at https://www.pridesource.com.
